Intel Westmere images leaked

The images, posted by XtremeSystems.org user JCornell, show engineering samples of Intel's new 'Westmere' Xeon range.

Images leaked by a member of an overclocking forum appear to show engineering samples of Intel's up and coming six-core Xeon CPU, codenamed Westmere.

According to Electronista, the images - posted by user JCornell on the XtremeSystems.org forums, which we'll refrain from linking to due to an interesting choice of NSFW wallpaper - demonstrate the first known pictures of the as-yet unreleased six-core processor.

The Westmere chip, which is based around the same Nehalem technology as the company's current Core i7 range of processors, features six 2.4GHz cores along with 12MB of shared level 3 cache memory and 256Kb of level 2 cache per core. With Hyperthreading support enabled, the processor is presented to the system as twelve logical processors - and is likely to make an appearance in dual-processor servers, meaning a grand total of twenty-four logical processing units for the operating system to enjoy.

The engineering sample - identified as model number W5590 - joins the company's top-end Xeon X7460, which is also a six-core processor with a higher 16MB cache and 2.66GHz clock speed. However, the new Westmere chip is based around a 32nm rather than 45nm process and has Hyperthreading support missing in the X7460, which - depending on the type of task being executed by the server - can improve performance. The new processor's model number suggests that it will be priced closer to the 2.93GHz quad-core X5570 at $1,386 (£819) rather than the top-end X7460's eye-watering $2,729 (£1,612).

Thought to be the basis of the next-generation of top-end servers and workstations, Westmere is not officially due until the first half of 2010 - at an as-yet unknown price.

Would you like to get your hands on a couple of six-core Xeon chips, or are you holding out for the inevitable eight-core processors that are likely to be just around the corner? If you can't wait then you can choose between either Intel's current Nehalem Xeons or you could look at an AMD Opteron. Share your thoughts over in the forums.

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15 Comments

Sweet - a couple of those will probably replace my "ageing" 5400 3.33GHz xeons in a few months. Any word on motherobards that will support them? I guess Intel and Tyan will release a few? (Would be nice to see BT review them :))

I was under the impression that the chips with 'W5590' over them were actually the 4-core 8-thread top-end current Nehalem Xeons... and that the unlabelled chip on the bottom left was the new Westmere CPU. If you look at the transisitors on the bottom of the chips, they're laid out differently as well - implying that the chips are not the same.

Originally Posted by BuzzonsSweet - a couple of those will probably replace my "ageing" 5400 3.33GHz xeons in a few months. Any word on motherobards that will support them? I guess Intel and Tyan will release a few? (Would be nice to see BT review them :))

started using that badaboom encoder.. it's ridiculously fast- think I'm with vector on this one.. gonna wait and invest in other things- if anything I'm really happy with this oc'd e6600.. long as you run the older chipset drivers and bios on the mb your good to go

going to skip win 7 for awhile also.. strange I installed it and the install part was a direct 'console port' of vista also- I mean it was vista but they made the background image this gay blue.. I installed it finally and all I have to say is when win 7 releases, and they come out with sp3 for vista (which will slow it down like sp3 for xp), I'll make my decision.. think alot of vista ultimate guys are in the same boat as me

I'd really like to buy the newer tech just to oc it to hell.. just I'm not rich :D but trust me soon as I can't game full up with aliasing at 1080p- I'm looking at new hardware.. 6 cores sounds sweet

If this CPU is to retail at 2.4GHz or so, that isn't surprising considering the competition (AMD 6-core Istanbuls for dual-socket systems) aren't clocked that much higher either (three SKUs from 2.2 to 2.6), there is no need for faster. If one is to be rebranded with a disabled QPI link for desktop X58 use, it could be clocked higher, it could also not. It has to be spec'd and priced such that it will not jeapordize their other CPUs, since there is no Phenom x6 to compete with. Intel risks competing with themselves.

@ Author Gareth Halfacree: This is Jcornell's CPUZ link of his W5590, it is in fact the i7 975 version (running at 3.33GHz) of the dual socket Xeon W5580 running at 3.20, not a 32nm Gulftown 6-core: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=607131

32nm dual socket Xeons (Gulftowns) will be called into 5600 series, just like 45nm Gainestowns were 5500, 45nm Harpertowns were 5400, and 65nm Clovertowns were 5300.

Originally Posted by lehpronIf this CPU is to retail at 2.4GHz or so, that isn't surprising considering the competition (AMD 6-core Istanbuls for dual-socket systems) aren't clocked that much higher either (three SKUs from 2.2 to 2.6), there is no need for faster. If one is to be rebranded with a disabled QPI link for desktop X58 use, it could be clocked higher, it could also not. It has to be spec'd and priced such that it will not jeapordize their other CPUs, since there is no Phenom x6 to compete with. Intel risks competing with themselves.

@ Author Gareth Halfacree: This is Jcornell's CPUZ link of his W5590, it is in fact the i7 975 version (running at 3.33GHz) of the dual socket Xeon W5580 running at 3.20, not a 32nm Gulftown 6-core: http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=607131

32nm dual socket Xeons (Gulftowns) will be called into 5600 series, just like 45nm Gainestowns were 5500, 45nm Harpertowns were 5400, and 65nm Clovertowns were 5300.

They won't have to worry about competition. The desktop Westmere chips are only going to be EE, retailing at $999+. Then, the i7-8xx family will be introduced to replace the current 920 and 950.